Window Tint For Classic Trucks - Cool & Clear

We discuss creature comforts quite a bit in this here magazine, so much so that I have to admit we may come off as prima donnas. But there’s good reason for that, and simply put, it’s because the more comfortable our trucks are, the more likely we are to use ’em. If I can hop in my ’68, crank the A/C and stereo, and blast down the highway to run an errand, the wife’s car is staying in the driveway! That’s how I like it and I’m pretty sure the majority of you feel the same. It’s just too darn fun to drive an old truck, and frankly, I want to do it as often as possible.

2/15

But while having air conditioning in your truck sure makes it nice, what’s the point if all that cold air is escaping through the floor, roof, or firewall due to poor insulation. So you gotta make sure the cab’s sealed up nice and tight to keep the cool air in and the hot air and road noise out. A nicely insulated cab and a good A/C system go hand in hand, but one of the most overlooked modifications when it comes to cab comfort is tinted glass.

3/15Angel Diaz makes the installation of the film look simple, but those in the know, know better; it all comes down to technique in order to install the film without bubbles or visible parting lines. Once the outside of the glass is thoroughly cleaned using a combination of baby shampoo and water, Angel applies the backside of the film to the glass.

I’ve been toying with the idea of tinting the glass on the ’68 ever since I started driving it regularly. I’ll tell you, heading east in the afternoon with the sun blazing through that big back window behind you can really heat things up fast, regardless of the A/C’s power. The only thing stopping me was the fact that I figured you had to go dark with the tint to get any kind of heat and UV protection. Well, as is the case 99 percent of the time, I was wrong and 3M had just the product to solve my redneck problem.

The newest tint, or “automotive window film” as it’s known in the industry, that is truly groundbreaking for those of us who don’t want that über-dark limo tint, but would love to have some heat and UV protection inside the cab of our truck is 3M’s Crystalline Automotive Window film. Featuring a proprietary, multilayer optical film technology that combines over 200 layers in a film thinner than a Post-it note, this unique technology enables it to repel more heat than darker films.

Available as transparent as 70-percent VLT (69 percent of visible light transmitted through the glass) it blocks 99.9 percent UV rays, provides 50 percent solar heat reduction, and 97 percent infrared rejection. Simply put, the end result is a slightly smoked or gray glass surface and an incredibly cooler cab interior. Not to mention the glare reduction and protection it provides that expensive upholstery from the harsh sun provided by the UV rejection. Ever jumped in a truck in the middle of summer and burned the back or your legs on a scalding vinyl seat? This will keep that seat and the steering wheel at a tolerable temperature all summer long. But if a little color is more your speed, 3M does offer their Crystalline tint in three darker shades, with 40-percent VLT being the darkest.

4/15An X-Acto knife is then used to trim the film to shape.

VLT

UV Rejection

Solar Energy Rejection

1/4-inch clear

89%

38%

19%

Crystalline 40

39%

99.9%

60%

Crystalline 70

69%

99.9%

50%

FX Premium 5

6%

99%

45%

FX Premium 30

35%

99%

38%

FX Premium 55

58%

99%

32%

11/15Here’s a quick comparison between a single 1/4-inch pane of glass and that same pane of glass treated to two of the company’s latest offerings, FX Premium and Crystalline automotive window film.

VLT (or visible light transmitted) The percentage of visible light that passes directly through the filmed glass. The higher the number, the lighter the film.

UV Rejection The percentage of ultraviolet light that is repelled by filmed glass. Ultraviolet light contributes to sunburn and other harmful skin conditions from the sun and to the fading of fabrics and leather.

Solar Energy Rejected The percentage of total solar energy rejected by filmed glass. The higher this value, the less solar heat energy is transmitted by the glass.

Keep in mind, however, that the law changes from state to state as far as how dark one can go. Most states allow up to 70 percent VLT on the front door glass, while any darkness can be used for the rear doors and back glass. That makes using the Crystalline 70 on both doors and that big window out back perfectly legal on old trucks, and that’s just what I did. After talking with the folks at 3M regarding the product that was available and most logical for the vintage truck crowd, they turned me on to Ryan Tounsley and his company Protective Film Solutions. Ryan educated me further in all aspects of the automotive window film world and I have to admit I was quite impressed by the vast options available to automobile enthusiasts.

We decided to go with the Crystalline 70 film on the side glass and back window for the ’68 to keep the appearance relatively original, with a slight tint. A lot of our old trucks had “tinted” glass from the factory, be it slightly green or smoked, and I found that the Crystalline actually accentuated the factory tint nicely. But it’s really the end results in the creature comfort category that had us impressed. The following weekend after Angel Diaz tinted the truck, I headed out to Anaheim, California, for the F-100 West Coast Nationals.

It was a pretty warm day and the sun was beating down on us unmercifully on the ride out and back. Usually, at highway speeds at this time of year, I’d have the A/C cranked up full blast, but with the new window treatment, I could actually turn it down quite a bit and still be comfortable. That was enough to make me a believer, but the radiant heat that used to be present coming through the glass is also remarkably lower, making the truck truly comfortable driving down the highway even when the sun is beating straight through the glass.

So if you’re suffering from the summertime blues thanks to sweltering temperatures inside and outside of your classic truck, take a ride to your local 3M-certified installer and see for yourself the difference a little tint job’ll do!

15/15

I decided to put my temperature gun to the test before and after the truck got tinted. Pretty impressive results and the numbers speak for themselves. Here are the results: